by: Ronald Searle, 2000 medium: struck bronze size: 75mm cast by: Thomas Fattorini Ltd. issue: The Medal, no. 41 (2002) edition: price: £80.00 (non-member: £120.00)
description: Searle's medal of James Boswell continues a literary theme that began with his medal of Edward Lear, modelled in 1975 and issued by the Monnaie de Paris, and has been apparent in two of the artist's BAMS medals: those of Charles Dickens and Samuel Pepys medals, which appeared in 1983 and 1984 respectively. On this witty new medal Boswell, the biographer of the great lexicographer Samuel Johnson, is portrayed on one side, pen in hand, whilst on the other he chases after the great man, notebook in hand so as to catch the doctor's bons mots.
Like the earlier Dickens medal, the Boswell medal is being issued in two versions, both as a struck two-sided piece and as two large electroformed uniface works. The latter have been taken directly from the models produced by the artist in 1999, and their issue by the Society has been made possible by generous sponsorship from David Silich.
Applications are invited for the 'New Medallist' scheme, an initiative for artists based in Britain and Ireland who are relatively new to medal-making.
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